Method of making golf club shafts



\ Oct.` 12,` 1937. R. H. cowDERY 2,095,553

. METHOD OF`MAKING GOLF CLUB SHAFTS lOriginal Filed 0011.25, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet` l N/a E .R, O* NC. IDH. A t Y r e wl Dn NY B 7mm', J ALF 6 -KrushHNlNNNHNY "RQVHpOwDERYa -2,09"5,563

METHDOF MAKNG GOLFVCLUBSHAFTS.

`origai Filed oef. 25, 1934 fr 5 'sheets-sheet` 2 @EN UNE@ ATTORNEYS;

R. H. COWDERY lMETHOD QF `MAKING GOLF CLUB SHAFTS original Fi1ed`oct. 25. 1934 s sheets-sheet s INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

n othersporting implements'glofrt i l i 'v' anlinoreasedlresistance snfiztllen` l i c1 bstand otherqsportingimplem emargedfscallfm n, nys ,n l t n `performedfnvthefmachirie of fFig's. 7 and 8;

ventionrelates to the 1mproved,

\ `eind means foi `efficiently makingtubular. metallic, `sxjtifts for golf clubs and other` isporting implei Y It o of :this inventiontof` provide kan improveydfm'ethod which will produce a*tubular*l metallic shaft `for golf clubs and other sporting` implements" having improved df d resistance o ect; u etho which -will 'economically i produ silient` tubular metallic shaft"v foingolf velu` enerall strains developed i tratedu i th,

Y bJe method for i making au sha1` continuous tapering type h aineterv in .portions adj acent,

tdhave increased` resist l ""Anotherl ob is"` t provi n apparatusY for` :making improve `club having i. l my inventon; i,

2 is a. fragmentery o 1t haft Of F 1'f d l i Figs l l thefshaftproduaxby-lthedmu i `tion taken respeetivelylfijom t and Blof fig.I nd diewn to alla Figs I and elevational: vie

\ partsybroken avvayut l machine .ioi performing" `drawing opeijgtklpn?" 1n r plif th stepitale then' fany; Aof the s snbjeet to variation i I I' thejpartieulal form'illustreLted,` the portion l Figs; nein views illustrating further die-drawin the@processy of `making aV shaft accord method of m in ntio t sect1 :il

tapered an mos stepyped Seotion Brand, at elfsuitable distanoe below 4the point 9,1fo11 :example asf tf: I U,

inwardly,f and thsgi ontined from4 fthe point l coom'plished b' n I0 (or by an `intrease of i `below the bo the proeessofv markings` haftprodnced he m W n n Imethod o r Figs. 9, 1

trati steps of process" shortfcylindrical n iameter i tapered portion 6.

Vwalls are preferably graduallyland progressively increased in thickness proceeding toward the small end of the shaft. Figs. 4 and 3, respectively, illustrate the increase of wall thickness of the previously thickened portion 2 proceeding toward the small end thereof. 'Figs 6 and Y5, respectively, illustrate the increase of wallgthickness from the upper to thek lower portions ofthe Thus, in the embodiment shown,.the outside diameter of the shaft `produced by the method of my rinventionis progressively decreased from the large to the small end and both the relatively thin-walled portion 6 and the relatively thick-walled portion 2 lncrease" in wall thickness proceeding toward the small end. y l

'In the use of a golfclub having a shaft made according to the improved process ofmy invention as above described, the more abrupt flexure usually' occurring in prior shafts close to the juncture of the head hosel and the shaft when striking a ball, and the reactive flexure thereafter, will be distributed over a substantial length of the lower end portion of the shaft including the "thick-'walled portionv described, and a portion of. the less thickenedportion just above it,and will not be rconcentratedin'a small length near the hosel, and theshaft in its portion of smallesty diameter will bend on a relatively large so-called radius of curvature, reducing the liability of the shaft to break inthe small diameter portion just above the head evenafter long continued use: also, the increased so-called radius of curvature effected by the described construction effects a longer contact between the head and the struck ball, securing greater length of flight and better direction. Y

In Figs. 7 to 14 inclusive, the apparatus and method by which I prefer to manufacture the shaft above describedis illustrated. Y, A

At II is indicated the base of a drawing machine commonly known `as a draw bench and havingan integral die I2 rigidly secured thereto, the diebeing provided with a hardened die pass I3. TongsII having gripping jaws I 5-I5 are supportedon Ia Vcarriage I6 lhaving wheels I1 reciprocable onvrails I8-I8 on the base II. YA chainV I9 is connected vto the carriage and comprises a night 20 which may be pulled toward the right as viewedin the drawings to retract the carriage and jaws |5,and a flight 2I running over a suitable sprocket Wheel 22 which may be'drawn toward the right as viewed in the .drawings to advancer the carriage and tong jawsk I5. Such draw benches are Vwell known in this art and this simplified showing and description are deemed suiicient. l Y

. Associated withthe draw bench may be any suitable meansunderthe control of an operator to draw the carriage .I6 toward the right or to advance it toward the leftand stop it in any position.

. At 23 is a mandrel supportsecured to the base II having in an Vupper portion an upwardly open notch 24. A mandrel 25 is provided on the end of a rod 26,` the mandrel being adapted to be disposed in the diepass 23 with the rod 26 in the notch 2.4. A collar 21 threaded on theprod 26 and secured in any adjusted position by a lock nut 28 engages the support 23 to position the mandrel 25. The shaft is made from a cylindrical tubular blank, and this is illustrated in the drawings at 29.

In the operation of the apparatus, a tubular blank has one end thereof formed into a nose by rolling, hammering,` 'swaging or like Aoperations to reduce it to a generally pointed shape as shown at 30, Figs. 7, 8 and 9. The mandrel rod 26 is then rocked to the dotted line position illustrated in Fig. 8, and the end of tube 29 opposite the nose is telescoped over the mandrel 25 and rod 26' and the nose end of the tube is then rocked'downwardly and projected forwardly toward the right as viewed in the drawings through the diepass I3. The carriage I6 is advanced and the tong jaws I operated to grip the nose 30. The mandrel rod 26 is now withdrawn toward the left as viewed in the drawings, taking up a position indicated generally in Fig. 9. Such a position may suitably be with the mandrel 25 six or more inches rearwardly of the die pass I3.' l

The carriage I6 is now operated to draw the tube through the die pass and is of such size as to reduce the outside and inside diameters of the tube. f

For aigolf shaft, suitable dimensions for the tube blank are an outside diameter of .645 of an inch with a wall thickness .024 of an inch. As thetube is drawn through the die, its outside diameter will suitably be reduced to .625 of an inch, and this operation may-be .performed withouta'change of wall thickness.

After a sufiicient length such as a few inches of the'tube has been drawn through the die pass I3, the mandrel 25 will have moved with the tube or may be moved by hand to telescope the end thereof into the dierpassthe parts `taking up the position indicated in Figs. '1 and 8 but more particularly in Fig. 10. The mandrel 25 will be drawn into thedie pass and its position determined by the collar 21 on the mandrel rod 26. For the shaft under consideration, a diameter for the mandrel 25 is chosen so that it will forcibly increase the inside diameter or the tube to .595 of an inch, reducing the wall thickness to .015 of an inch. The tube is drawn toward the right through the die for the rest of its length, 'leaving it with the dimensions just stated, the die pass I3 continuously reducing the outside diameter and the mandrel increasing .the inside diameter.

The resultant tubular blank therefore has a uniform outside diameter of .625 of an inch with a wall thickness of .024 of an inch over a short portion of its length and a wall thickness of .015 of an inch over the rest of the length, thus providing a short end portion of increased wall thickness, or inwardly thickened wall.

The blank thus formed is tapered by being projected endwise through drawing dies by steps of process illustrated generally in Figs. 12A to 12G. The end of the Ablank with the increased wall thickness is pushed successively'through reducing dies 3| to 31 inclusive to reduce the outside diameter thereof and correspondingly increase the wall thickness, the blank being forced through the successive diesr over shorter and shorter lengths ofthe tube, producing cylindrical stepped' sections 8-8 of successively smaller diameter, and finally a relatively longf cylindrical section 38 having the inwardly thickened wall.

One of the'dies, such as the die 3l, 'and a p0rwall of the `cylindrical blank and further increasing itby employing la suitable tapering machinev and methodlas above describedior a tapering,y machine and method may be `employed which 'f itself does not increase the `Wall'thickness,angling.`

` f such cases the'portion of increased wall thickreference may be'hadlto th UnitedStateslLetters ness maybe provided solely by the benchrdraw- .Covvdery, 1,9,63,Q48,\June*1`2,1934;; ing operation above described. y *t t outside diameter;` `and other sporting implements having" tubular] "31.may be" taper-'drawn1 `metallic shaftsof Vvarying diameter,` `the greatest outside diameterby,` any .i flexure `strain tendsfto occur at the portion, us1`r` dof z apparatus, onefformi l a11y;`;of"least adiameter, just abovethe ,hose1.;of.-V

` ustr ted and descrlbedin the paten the clubi head, with the result thatv the shaft to J` L. assady,` 1,957,388, May 1,-1934` l after-.cntinuedrusernaycrystallize andbi'eak at 15 The tubmayzbeF-fornedrom 'arlyI `suitable thatfportion; butin use of a club havingla-shaft s metal ,such fasfstee alloy""susceptible of-"beingproduced by themethodof my invention, when hardenedby heattreatment torender it riresilient," stikingalball,` the reactive `recoil of the Club, lleadA ughand ble. Before 4starting `the drawingL is acoomplishedon a very shortradius."`

op rations scrib djsuchftubblanksfmay.

` A y AIt iszalso` to be noted that by first drawing, 20

Vannealedan the finished drawn tube aybe Without tapering, the `portieri ofA the, tubular hardened wellknown processes."` Y blank thatrisgto be later tapered, by.-` then drawing i After. the tube-b`la"rik` hasbeen operated `upon the `remainder ofthe tubular elementto alsxrialler-` by `tlle apparatus gs.` `'7 and '8 andfga 'illusinternal diameter, and by finalIy'die-taperingtheV tratedinfFigsQ "tof --`providetheport1on of i portions with'.` the smaller diameter, namely the *inwardly thickened wall thel tube may beitapered portions, first die-drawn, -that the process of; with afgradilaltaper from end to`e nd,inste ad` of manufacturinggolf clubs is much reduced,` over aper illustrated and described the manufacturing cost whenothermethods are A, tion: is in no sense limited to4 the production of a "edesirableftoeifecttljie` shaft liavinglthe` dimensions of tube Aand-shaft rupt `changent wall thickness by a above set` forth, `and in otherwrespects `the, `em-I f'steps` instead of by a singlestep as bodimentY of "my *invention illustrated and `dei at Ill in Fig. 2. In` such"cases,` the 1 scribed maybe 'modified wthoutrdeparting from'. 35

may beformed ,with successive steps thespiritv'of `my. invention or sacricingits adlygrea't Idiameteras shown atllll, vantagesand within the scopeof the appended `andrel`43fof Fig; l5. The first claimsx l H l e es i e andrei may] initially be drawn` This application is divisional ofmycopending iitdadrawing ositionin the dieandlxed 'in application, Serial No. 749,890, led October 25, 40 thatp sitio "b stopfdevice'sM -andi4r5 between 1934',ifor improvements in Golf club shafts ,and n thecollarZ'l "mandrel support '23. After# methods and means for making samer.. i.

ai short length of i`e"'tube` hasbeen* drawn `Iclaim:r l l i l l l i swall thickness slightly y l l. The methodof` making a shaft for golf clubs thel above-referrdto Itwiii `be understood of course that my iiven" 30 portion lili,` thefstopdewhich `includes die-drawing@ tubular blank to 45 whereuponthe mandrel reduce its internal and' external diameters over edieito `effect the drawing aportion ofitslength,die-drawing the remainoperation onfthe slightly'larger diameter portion derfof` the lengthof the blank `to reduce its exfandffollowin at; thedevice 45 may` be reternaldiameterand increase its internal diameter mainderf therdrawing opv "j beyond 4,tl'iatl of the first portion, then taper- 5o j drawing theblank to dispose the portion of greati `estwallthickness inxthe small end ofthe shaft. 'drei is'usedfthe `portionof 2. The methodrof making `a shaft `oryrod for changeismade from the sporting implements which includes die-drawing dionthe mandrel portion" g thick walledfportio therelatively thinwalled a tubular blank to reduce its internal and exter- 55 i portionwill appear as inFigJlB whereinthe: relv nal diameters over a4 portion ofits length, diethick`walled`portion 211s reduced to apordrawing the yremainderof the length of 'the blank ivelyf,thintwallat 46" by ,two stages 'to reduce `its external diameter and increase fsuccessivelythii'inerivvallf` `its `internalfdiarrieterbeyond `that, of,Y the ,r'st` "As lanyalternativemeansfto cause the change portion,` `then step-taper-drawing` the` `blank to` G0 fwal-l thlcknesstofoccurfover any suitable lon- 1 dispose' the fportion of l greatest Wall? thickness tudinal ktent ofthetube-,thelcollar2Tthreaded in the `stepped section fof least` diameteran-` on the mandrelrdZGmay beturned `whilethe `3. VThe method of makinga `shaftfor` rod forA dra ng operation is beingfperformed toallow sporting implements which includesdie-,drawing` "the mandrel`25 yto Jgradually moveto its final po` `a` vtubular `blank to reduce its n internaltand ex- 65 sition of minimum Wall thickness. In such cases ternal diameters over a portion of its length,` diethe lock nut 28 may be omitted; r 1 `Ithave `found inpractice that a `Very desirable to reduce its external diameter and increase itsI )degree of increased wall thickness at the small internal diameterbeyond that of the first por-- `diameter end` of the finished golf shaft is attained if the wallof the shaft at the portion 2 where it pose the portion of greatest wall thickness inthe enters the hoselis 45%" greater in thickness than stepped section of least diameter, then gradthe wall at the opposite end of the shaft, and that ually tapering the smallest diameter section.

a"`part of this increased wall thickness may` be 4. The method of making a shaft forv golf clubs drawing the remainder of the length of the blank l l l tion,- then'step-taper-drawing the mank to dis- 7o .75 provided by inwardly thickening aiportion ofthe mwhlch includes ydie-drawing a tubular metallic 75 blank to reduce its external and internal diameters substantially without increase of wall thicklness over a portion of the blank length, then die-drawing the remainder of the length of the blank to reduce its external and internal diam eters with a'substantial decreaseof wall thick-l the wall thickness over a portion of the length by a greater amount than over the remainder of the length, then taper-drawing the tube to dispose the portion of greatest wall thickness in the small end of the tube.

6. The method of making a shaft. for golf clubs which includes die-drawing a tubular metallic blank to reduce its external and internal diameters over a portion of its length with a predetermined resultingwall thickness, then die-drawing the remainder of thetube to reduce its external and internal diameters with a predetermined thinner-resulting Wall thickness, then taper-drawing the tube to dispose the portionof greatest wall thickness in the small end of the tube.

7. 'I'he method ofV making a shaft for golf clubs which includes die drawing a tubular blank to reduce its internaland external diameters over a portion of its length and die-drawing the remainder of the length of the blank to reduce its external diameter and increase its internal diameter beyond that of the first named portion, then taper-drawing the blanks to dispose the portion of greatest wall thickness in the small end of the shaft.

8; The method of making a shaft for golf clubs which includes die drawing a tubular blank to reduce its internal and external diameters over a portion of its length and die-drawing the remainder of the length of the blank to reduce its external diameter and increase its internal diameter beyond that of the rst portion, and steptaper-drawing the blank to dispose the portion of greatest wall thickness in the stepped .section of least diameter.

9. I'he method of making a shaft for golf club which includes die drawings. tubular blank to reduce its internal and external diameters over a portionof its length, die-drawing the remainder of the length of the blank to reduce its external diameter and increase 'its internal diameter beyondthat of the first portion, then step-taperdrawing the blanks to dispose the portion of greatest wall thickness in thev step ksection of least diameter, then gradually tapering the smallest diameter section.`

10. The methodv of making a shaft for golf clubs which includes die-drawing a tubular metallic blank to reduce its external and internal diameters substantially without increase of Wall the small( thickness over a portion of the blank length and then die-drawing the remainder of the length of the blank to reduce its external and internal diameters with a substantial decrease of wall thickness, then taper-drawing the tube to dispose the portion of greatest wall thickness in the small end of the tube.

11. The method of making a shaft for golf clubs which -includes die-drawing a tubular metallic blank to reduce its external and internal diameters over a portion of its length with a predetermined resulting wall thickness and then Vdie-drawing the remainder of the length of the latter to reduce its external and internal diameters with a predetermined thinner resulting wall thickness, then taper-drawing the tube to dispose the portion of greatest wall thickness in the small end of the tube.

12. .The method of making a tubular shaft for golf clubs which includesv die-drawing a tubular blank to produce therein a wall thickness greater over a portion of the tube length thanover the remainder of the length, then die-drawing the blank to taper it with theportion of greatest Wall thickness in the small endof the tube.

13. The method of making a tubular shaft for golf Aclubs orr the like which includes die-drawing a cylindrical tubular blank to provide therein a wall thickness greater over a portion of its blank lengththan over the remainder of the length while maintaining a cylindrical outer wall thereon, then die-drawing the blank vto taper it with the portion of greatest wall thickness in the smallend of the tube.

14. The method of makinga shaft fora golf club which consists, in rst die-drawing the portion disposed toward one end of a tubularbody to a given external diameter and to a given internal diameter, die-drawing the remainder of said body to the same external diameter as that of the said portion first mentioned and to an internal diameter greater than that of the said portion first mentioned, and thereafter taperdrawing the said portion rlrst mentioned, the taper gauges of the outer and inner surfacesof the said portion last mentioned being dissimilar, that of the inner surface being of a sharper taper gauge than the outer, whereby a wall is formed alongsaid first mentioned portion that thickens toward the said end first mentioned.

15. The method of making a shaftl for golf clubs which consists in first die-drawing the portion of a tubular body, disposed toward one end thereof, to a givenvexternal diameter'A and to a given internal diameter, die-drawing the remainder of said body to a given external diameter and to an internal diameter greater than that of the said portion i'lrst mentioned. and then steptaper-drawing the said portion first mentioned, whereby the thickness of the wall of said body along different cross sections of the said portion tapered increases as the cross section approaches the said end ilrst mentioned.

ROBERT H. COWDERY. 

